Guardians - Frostbitten light (story 2)
by xaltanat.daimaou
Summary: Continuation to "Frostbitten shadow" story. There is something weird going on and North can't figure out what it can be. But then the sighting of nightmares makes all the Guardians believe Pitch is coming back and they prepare to fight again. It is up to Jack to clear up everything.


**FROST-BITTEN LIGHT**

_A "Rise of the Guardians" fanfic for the "Flowers from a Distant Sun" Collection_

It had been eight months. All this business about being a Guardian still felt new to him. He was overjoyed alright, but having friends, duties, responsabilities and a whole new way of life was tiring. He was overwhelmed at times, but he welcomed all the new things that now flooded his formerly empty life with wide open arms.

Jack Frost smiled as he breathed in deeply the cold morning air, opening the window of the small room that North let him use. A small blizzard filled the room as cold wind and snow were blown in.

It was December and North was at his busiest season in the shop at the Pole. He had invited Jack over to stay a while and watch the progress, have some fun and maybe contribute with some toy ideas; because Jack had spent the past 300 years around children and he himself was like a child at times… almost as much as North himself.

They had fun together like never before, playing with all the toys – the excuse was to test them – sleigh riding, snow fighting with elves and yetis and telling all kinds of jokes.

But North had to attend business, he was Santa Clauss after all. He enjoyed it a lot; it was his whole life and he dedicated himself to it with all his passion. But it also meant leaving Jack on his own.

Jack had noticed that North's face looked concerned when he had to leave him to go take care of his responsibilities.

It happened again as Jack went out the room and down the shop, almost bumping into North's huge belly.

"Hey there, Jack! Good morning!" – he boomed in his heavy russian accent. He put a hand on the boy's shoulder, covering almost half his back.

"Come, come, we have a new line of toy trains! They are very colorful and have lights! You want to try them out?" – North invited with a big smile.

"Sure!" – Jack said smiling too.

Just then, one of the Yetis came with a list in his hand and motioned with it to North.

"Oh, oh, yes" – North turned to Jack – "I'm sorry, boy. That will have to wait. I have to go over the lists of naughty and nice boys today. But I won't forget you are waiting. Ok?"

Jack smiled widely at him – "No problem at all, I'll be around!"

The boy enjoyed the breaks that these kind of moments gave him. It was exhausting to have fun all the time and North seemed overly excited about having him around and went wild looking for things to play with. He felt relieved and glad to have a moment alone.

"I'll try not to take long, my friend!" – North said and turned around. But as he did, he gave a last look at him. There it was. North's face was concerned. As if it worried him to leave Jack alone.

"What?" – the boy thought – "Is he afraid I will make a mess in his shop?"

But he didn't dare say that to Santa Clauss.

He walked away, escaping from the crowds of elves and yetis as North pushed his giant body forward in opposite direction, among hordes of helpers, towards his office.

Jack exited the manufacturing area and walked along the less crowded areas of the now familiar place.

He liked being around people, but also he was too accustomed to being by himself and having his own space.

He wandered along some corridors until one took him toward's Santa's sleigh's garage. The boy ran his fingers along the red metal leaving a trail of silvery frost that rivaled with the golden details in the vehicle's body. He slowly walked out and along the launching ramp and there he sat; not minding the violent gusts of wind and the falling snow.

He let one of his legs dangle down over the edge of the ramp and propped the other up to rest his arm and chin on his knee.

He became pensive, letting all kinds of thoughts run around his mind, not really paying attention to any of them in particular.

But, as many other times before, a special thought resurfaced from the depth of his mind; pushing aside all the other idle thoughts. This special memory made him feel an empty corner in his heart and he longed to fill it. Of course he was happy having friends, being a Guardian and being able to be seen by children… but this kind of emptiness was totally different. He didn't even understand how that feeling could be.

Before coming to the Pole with North, he had done many trips, riding the winds around the world, but never again had he been able to catch a single glimpse of that girl. It was as if darkness had swallowed her forever that day, when she vanished before his eyes.

The thought bothered him. That expression on her face, her suffering. He wondered what could be so bad as to cause that look of pain in someone's face. Why had she been so afraid of him that she even thought that he would kill her? That made his own heart ache.

"I'm a nightmare" – she had said, just like that.

"That can't be" – he thought aloud and closed his eyes. He remembered her tender touch, back in the mountain's gap and later in the woods. She had placed a hand to his face and had almost kissed him.

He groaned and hid his face, as if somebody could see him blushing.

He wanted to see her again, not only to try to get answers to all of his questions, but just to see her and maybe… get that kiss?

He blushed deeper. He never had thought about having a girlfriend before. He never even paid attention to human girls. He had always concentrated on trying to be seen by the children.

But since the first time he saw her face, he felt drawn to her. He liked her, he liked her a lot.

He couldn't take her out of his mind.

"I don't know what's wrong with him" – North said as he looked out thru the window and saw Jack sitting alone at the edge of the ramp – "I've been trying to have the most fun with him, keep his mind off whatever trouble he think he has, but when he is alone or just relaxes for a moment, he looks sad and his eyes are like… lost somewhere far away."

The yeti in his office, who held stacks of paper containing children names made a series of grunts, growls; in that assortment of gutural noises that conformed his language.

"Yes, yes" – North agreed thoughtfully – "Maybe he's just tired. Being a Guardian is a great responsibility and he might feel overwhelmed by all this. It was too sudden for him afterall. That is probably it. Whe shouldn't worry for it, should we?"

The yeti shrugged and made a few more noises.

"You are totally right, Phil" – North cheered up – "All this is new to him. He got thrown into a battle that was not his and selected Guardian all in a few days. His life got turned upside down. We have to give him time to get the hang of it. He's an enthusiastic boy, he'll pull through soon and relax. It is not all about work, is about working up your passion!"

Just then, a couple of elves busted into the office.

"Didn't I tell you to knock before you…" – North scolded them, but then let it pass and he sighed. The small, cone-shaped helpers rang the bells on their hats as they moved, jumped and ran in their places.

"All right, all right…" – North calmed them – "what's the matter?"

Now the elves frantically poited out the door and made round shape gestures with their arms.

"The globe again?" – the giant asked and followed them as they ran out the door again, ringing all the way.

"I wonder what that strange light is" – the man said to himself as he approached the brightly speckled globe that represented the world.

They had noticed a flickering light that appeared sometimes, here or there. It shone with silvery white and blue hues like a star that twinkles in the night sky. The rest of the lights were all golden.

North had reviewed the lists of children before and out of curiosity it occurred to him to compare the number of names with the number of lights in the globe.

Whoever or whatever the twinkling light was, it was not in the lists.

"This is very odd" – North said – "each light represents a child that believes in us, but a name is missing from my lists! And this light goes all around the globe!"

The elve's hats filled the area with their chimes as they moved about and looked at each other, puzzled. One of the yetis let out a string of their peculiar grunts.

"No, that can't be. If the light was Jack, it would be shining here in the Pole. Besides, the lights don't show the other spirits, like us Guardians."

The yeti uttered some more noises.

"That is quite a disturbing thought, Kevin." – North crossed his arms – "But you could be right."

The elves panicked, giving into wild thoughts of their own. They started to run about agitated.

"Stop! Stop it, you guys!" – North scolded again – "Don't spread panic!" – He paused and sighed – "At least not yet" – he finished in a very low voice.

"Let's hope this doesn't mean trouble. We are just a few days from Christmas" – he told his crew. He looked at the light again – "Hmmm… wait, I know that spot… "

Yoru had roamed near and far. She went almost all around the world, trying to find meaning to her existence and trying to forget the handsome face of a certain ice-cold boy.

Unlike Pitch and the Guardians, she found that if she didn't hide in the shadows, any person – be child or adult – could see her easily. In fact, she was quite noticeable.

She had tried to walk like a normal human among the crowds. If nobody believed in her, she couldn't be seen right? Totally wrong!

Pitch Black had been invisible to people who didn't believe in the Boogeyman. So now this meant that all the world believed in the Boogeywoman?

Whenever, wherever she showed up, women screamed, children cryed and everybody ran away. Some men even screamed in a not-so-manly way. A priest had thrown holy water at her calling all the saints and yelling for the demons to go away.

She felt so sad, rejected, hurt and lonely.

She often thought of Jack. She wanted to see him so much. But how could she? If he found out all the evil things she had done he would hate her. She couldn't lie to him and pretend innocence.

She didn't know what to do.

She returned to Burgess. She had met Jack there and the place brought back many memories. Memories that were her only company. They didn't quite make up for really seeing him, but she felt less empty.

It was a nice, cold evening. The freshly fallen snow made her think so much about him. The sky was beautifully turning colors, going from gold to pink to purple.

She scurried away into the woods, where there were no people around to scream upon seeing her.

She took her real shape, emerging from a shadow. As the sun sank beyond the horizon, the shadows grew longer and blacker.

Making sure there were no prying eyes around, she turned to a tall, wide tree and concentrated all her heart towards the shadow on the ground.

"Jack…" – she breathed out.

The shadow seemed to stirr, it pulled up, taking some snow along with it. The snow-and-darkness slowly took on a definite shape until it walked towards Yoru as the image of Jack Frost.

The shape bowed deeply before her and offered a hand. She took it and they danced together following an imaginary waltz. The figure's face smiled as they danced weighlessly about the woods. As the light from the sun died down and all became darker, she summoned more dancers and figures that resembled people. They made them company, either dancing along with them or just looking.

"I wish I could see your eyes again" – she wispered to the figure, who continued smiling, but lacked real expression. It was just a puppet after all.

They danced for a long while, following a lively tune in her mind. When they finished the dance, the shadows all around mimicked an applause.

Yoru and her partner bowed before them and then continued to dance a slow melody that she hummed, just stepping from one foot to the other. Her arms around the Jack figure, gazing longingly at his face, as it held her by the waist in return.

She put a hand to the figure's cheek – "Your skin is so cold" – she wispered.

The figure leaned towards her and she closed her eyes. She felt the cold that the snow-and-shadows figure emanated from its lips as they came closer to hers.

"W-what… what is all this!" – She heard a voice say not far from her.

The Jack figure bursted, snow falling on her hair and shoulders. The shadows all around melted down to their real, inanimated shapes.

She looked about in the direction of the voice and she saw the Easter Bunny back away from the last dark shape as it returned to being a tree's shadow.

The too-big-to-be-a-bunny Guardian turned around and saw her. The bunny's eyes widened in disbelief and then he furrowed his brows, ready to jump into battle.

"Those shadows were just like Pitch's nightmares." – the Easte Bunny said – "How did you make them? Are you with Pitch Black?"

She didn't know what to say. She felt as if she had been caught doing some evil deed.

"I… I am…" – she tried to articulate as the bunny cautiosly approached her, his face showing even more surprise as he looked better at her.

"You are… all black! Even your eyes!" – he took out his boomerangs – "Pitch was defeated! How come a nightmare is still around? Answer!"

He was so fierce that she got scared and fled. The Rambo-like bunny threw his boomerangs at her, but they only cut air as she melted into a shadow and dissappeared.

"Vanished same as Pitch!" – the bunny thought aloud – "I have to alert the Guardians"

He skillfully caught his weapons as they flew back. Then he tapped the ground with a paw and dissappeared down a hole.

The first Guardian that he went to was Tooth.

As always, she was busy having cuteness overloads over all and every each one of the teeth that were brought to her by her humming bird-like helpers.

"Tooth!" – Bunny called almost breathless to the jewel feathered Guardian on the second balcony of a colorful column – "I have something very important to tell you!"

"Oh, Bunny! What a surprise! Whats going on?" – she said as she flew down to him – "Do you want to see this beautiful canine? The little girl that lost it was…"

"I'm sorry, matey, no time. I have bad news."

"Bad news?" – she moved her head feathers.

The Easter Rabbit took a deep breath and spoke – "Pitch might come back"

Tooth's wings froze and she plopped down to the floor on her knees. Bunny and the little helpers aided the woman back to her feet.

"How do you know? What happened?" – she said worriedly.

"I was in my warren, thinking some new ideas for my egg designs when I just had these strange feeling, like telling me: 'something wrong, matey' and I just went above ground. And there it was! There were shadows all around me, moving about on their own! Like nightmares looking for victims!" – Bunny's eyes widened as he recounted his experience – "When they saw me, they all dissappeared, you know, I can cause quite an impression; but then, I saw that there was only one left. It was a menacing figure, a really disturbing sight I tell you." – he came closer to Tooth and his voice was low as if he were confiding a secret – "It was all dressed in black, the hair was black and floated like smoke. But the eyes…" – he shivered – "They were hollow! I mean, all black and scary… the thing seemed to have no eyeballs at all! Only the empty sockets!"

One little Baby Tooth fainted. The rest started to make a loud racket.

Tooth glanced around at the clouds of chaotic Baby Tooths – "Wait, girls! Wait! Calm down! Wai…what! What you say? Don't talk all at the same time! Calm down! Please…!"

Finally, Tooth was able to calm them and listened as the tiny creatures squeaked and chirped.

"Oh, my…!" – tooth exclaimed alarmed – "It can't be… this is bad… this IS bad!"

"What? What?" – Bunny hopped anxiosly.

"My girls say that they know that person! A girl! She was with Pitch when this house was attacked. She was the one leading the nightmare beasts! She captured my girls with black nets and ordered the nightmares to steal all the teeth!"

"So it is Pitch! He's coming back!" – Bunny said.

The next guardian to be alerted about the new threat was the Sandman. Bunny and Tooth tried to keep cool as they explained all what had happened, but they ended up both talking at the same time, making Sandy's head spin, almost literally.

The short, plump Guardian raised both his little hands and the other two shut up instantly as if by magic. He gestured time out and then turned to Bunny, motioning him to tell his part of the story. The enormous rabit recounted his "hair-rising" experience at the woods, making special mention of the girl's black, empty eyes.

As he said this, Sandy's eyes widened in recognition. He was about to stop Bunny and tell him that they had nothing to worry about, when he remembered he dad promised not to say anything. So he could only listen as Tooth continued the tale where Bunny left it.

Sandy was very surprised to learn that the sweet and frightened girl he had met inside the storm's core had done all the nasty things Tooth and her helpers claimed she did.

When both Guardians had finished saying all what they had to say, Sandy was very pensive. He thought that maybe the girl had lied to him to be able to escape. But he discarded the idea. He had seen her expression as she spoke, when they were inside the black sand. Besides, she had saved Jack. Then, he had seen her at the lake, when the nightmares had taken Pitch away. Nobody had noticed her then. But he was sure she had been the one to summon the beasts and set them against Pitch. Lastly, he had seen a black dot on a tree when Jack got off North's sleigh after the ordeal.

Sandy was not blind, and he was a specialist is subtle matters; because such is the stuff of dreams.

But too many odd facts were throwing him off. There had to be something else, some other explanation for what his friends were saying.

Sandy decided that the best thing to do at the moment was to keep Yoru's secret until the proper time came. He had very little facts to make a good judgement on the situation and over all, a promise was a promise.

However, he mentally prepared for whatever the outcome might be.

Right now, Sandy pointed out with golden figurines to his fellows, they had to make sure nothing interfered with Christmas.

So, using one of Bunny's tunnels they slid their way towards the North Pole.

"Go ahead, my friend!" – North boomed – "Try it!"

The giant had called Jack back inside the shop and shoved a new, brightly painted, red sleigh into the boy's hands. Several elves jumped up and down, making a racket around them with their bells.

"All right, all right!" Here you go!" – North pretended to be annoyed. He pulled out another sleigh, this one blue, and gave it to the elves.

"Try not to wreck them too fast, ok?" – he mocked a waring tone – "these are still prototypes"

Everybody looked at the flashy sleighs. The red one was fashioned after a locomotive engine with golden guard and designs. The blue one resembled an airplane with silver details.

"Wo-how! They're flashy!" – Jack admired them. Then he asked the giant – "What about you?"

"I'll have to pass…" – North sighed dissappointed – "Phil needs my help. Something came up in one of the doll lines. I hate when things like this happen!" – he threw up his hands – "I like everything working out smoothly and perfect." – then he emphasized lifting his index – "Christmas is _very_ important! But go on! Go on!" – he motioned them – "I'll need some feedback about the sleighs when you return"

Boy and elves started towards the exit carrying the prototype sleighs.

"Last one is a rotten egg!" – Jack bursted out suddenly, taking off running. The elves moved their short legs furiosly as they rushed after him.

North let out a good, loud belly laugh.

"Maybe I should've told them not to push the red buttons. Those things don't have brakes… but they wouldn't have listened, would've they?"

Two yetis gave each other and aprehensive look as North walked away laughing jolly as always.

It was then when some elves paraded hastily up to him, followed by Bunny, Tooth and Sandy, worried faces on all of them.

The Sandman's scenario repeated as Tooth and Bunny told their stories down to the last dark detail. Sandy just listened in his usual silence and reserved attittude.

"This time I'll slice that Pitch like a tomato!" – North roared – "How dare him threat to ruin Christmas!"

"Well, none of us has seen Pitch yet" – Tooth said.

"Then why are his nightmares still around, matey?" – Bunny retorted – "They must be planning an attack."

Sandy gestured for time out, but they all talked among them in heated discussion and didn't pay attention to the little fellow.

The Sandman sighed silently and sat in the air, waiting for his friends to finish arguing.

"I bet the attack will start in Jack's hometown. That's where I saw them gathering." – Bunny said – "That girl is trying to bring him back for sure and that was the place where he dissappeared."

Sandy seemed to lose balance as he heard this. His friends were jumping to conclusions awfully fast.

"I… I like Jack… very much." – he remembered the girl saying. She had looked and sounded very honest. She couldn't be the wicked shadow the others said she was.

But he had promised not to say anything about her and he bit his tonge, so to say, hoping his silence didn't cause things to go awry.

"I have a strange feeling about all this" – North said – "I feel it here, in my belly." He put his big hands over his trade mark Santa Clauss round middle – "There is more to this than what we see now."

They all walked over to the huge globe, abright with tiny golden lights.

"There has been a strange flickering light in the globe" – North continued – "It is definitely somebody who believes, but it can't be a child. I'm one name short on my 'Naughty or Nice' lists."

Tooth gasped and Bunny stepped forward, twitching his nose nervously – "It could be a grown-up then." – he said.

"I don't believe so" – Santa Clauss said – "the light twinkles silver instead of gold and it has gone around the globe faster than any plane could travel."

"It is one of us, maybe" – Tooth ventured.

"We know that he lights don't show spirits or Guardians." – was the answer.

"What is it, matey" – Bunny asked – "C'mon, tell us! My nerves are eating me up!"

"There is someone or something that believes or knows about us, but does not belong to this world."

The other two guardians froze. Sandy only remained pensive.

"Also, a while ago, the light was flickering in a very particular spot. I didn't remember until you mentioned the place, Bunny"

"The light was there at the same time I was?" – Bunny asked, his mind still trying to wrap around the information – "At Burgess?"

North nodded – "It dissappeared just a while ago, before all of you showed up."

"That thing is an alien?" – Tooth said in a squeak, as if somebody were squeezing her throat.

"How was Pitch working with an alien?" – the bunny exclaimed, feeling not so Rambo-ish now.

Sandy decided to say something as he saw how quickly the situation was escalating and wild assumptions were being made. He didn't want his friends to give into panic and do something foolish.

But as much as he waved and gestured around, his golden dust popping out into stars all about; his friends were too busy going bonkers over the existence of aliens.

Sandy palm-faced himself and was about to produce a major golden burst when Tooth exclaimed:

"We have to tell Jack!"

North turned to her – "Now that you mention him, I might as well tell you something"

Sandy stopped himself and turned all his attention to North.

"What is wrong with our chap?" – Bunny asked.

"I think it could be nothing, but I'll tell you anyway. He's been different lately." – the giant explained in his heavy russian accent – "I've tried to keep him busy, we've been having lots of fun. He has taken all this matter about being a Guardian in an excellent way, but…"

He beckoned the other Guardians to the window.

"Every time he's alone or thinks nobody sees him, he becomes like… " – he searched for the right words – "thoughtful… somewhat sad. And he looks away at nothing."

Below, the elves and Jack were slowly plowing up in the snow back to the shop; wrecked sleighs in tow. One of the toys was still smoking.

The elves walked ahead, only the tips of their pointy hats visible in the snow and Jack followed. As if on cue of North's words, he slowed down until he stopped and looked back into white vastness.

Sandy looked at him and rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a knowing smile forming in his small lips. The Sandman's specialty were dreams and he knew absolutely all about them. He also knew all there is to know about the other kind of dreams: daydreaming.

He could tell the look on Jack's face even at the far distance he was. The boy was not sad, or burdened or anything like it.

Sandy had smartly deducted what was going on since the start. At least he was right about one point.

The ice boy liked the shadow girl and viceversa.

Jack stood motionless for several seconds. Ahead, the elves dissappeared into a soft spot in the snow, making the boy jump out of his thoughts and rush in their aid. He plucked them out by their hats like carrots in a field and they continued their way back frolicking.

"I'm concerned about him" – North finished.

"Poor Jack, what could be wrong with him?" – Tooth said, motherly insticts kicking in.

Sandy was concerned too. A confrontation was likely unavoidable. How would Jack react when he learned that the girl he was starting to have feelings for had aided Pitch Black and now, aparently, was trying to bring him back?

"Ok, guys" – Tooth said to the rest of the Guardians – "Let's break the news to him nicely and slowly."

Jack was walking towards them, smiling broadly and laughing.

"You should've told the elves not to push the red button!" – he laughed so hard he held his stomach – "You should've seen the look on their faces as they flew over me when the rockets ignited!"

Jack bent in laugher and cleaned the tears from his eyes. The elves around him jumped, danced and made flying gestures around him with his arms, making quite a racket with their bells.

But when he looked up, he saw the forced smiles on his friend's faces.

"Wait…" – he became serious – "what's going on here?"

They hesitated at first. Three seconds to be precise. And then they all – except Sandy – bursted into talking and gesturing frantically.

Sandy palm-faced himself.

"Wow! Wow! Time out! Time out!" – Jack lifted his arms and gestured to the other Guardians – "What is everybody so alarmed about? I can't understand a thing!"

They felt silent and looked at each other.

"Jack, there is something going on that we need to tell you about" – Tooth started.

"You are all acting so weird." – Jack said – "Just say it, you are freaking me out!"

Bunny hopped forward and told Jack all what he had seen.

As Sandy had expected, Jack's eyes became more lively. He knew exactly who they were talking about, but refused to believe the macabre version of the encounter.

Then, it was Tooth's turn to tell her part. At this momet, Jack's confused look turned to disbelief and then his brows furrowed and he looked down, his mind trying to cope with what the Tooth Fairy was saying. He was visibly hurt.

Sandy could only imagine what the boy was feeling.

Then, North topped it all with the facts he had about the globe.

By now the boy's heart was breaking, he felt betrayed, confused and angry.

"No!" – he said to them

"I know this is overwhelming for you, Jack" – North said softly – "You got caught in the middle of a fight, became a Guardian, got your past back, changed your life… all in a few days."

"And now all seems to start again" – Bunny added.

"We will stand by you, Jack" - Tooth added, flying towards the boy and putting a hand on his shoulder to confort him.

He backed away from them, pulling his shoulder away from the fairy's touch.

"No, no!" – he denied angrily – "you must be getting something wrong! It can't be like that!"

"We are all together in this" – North said – "You won't have to face Pitch alone. You will never be alone again."

"No, no…it's not that…" – he said again. How could he explain?

"I… I…" – the words refused to come out. He remembered Yoru's touch and the memories now hurt terribly.

"It can't be…" – he muttered.

Sandy floated forward. He had to tell him something, do something. But the boy backed away from all of them again.

"Are you chickening out, matey?" – the Easter Bunny asked.

"Bunny!" – Tooth scolded.

"I won't back away from the fight!" – Jack said fiercely – "If Pitch comes back we'll kick his rear back into obliviom. But… " – a part of him still refused to believe the shadow girl could be as evil as the Boogeyman.

"I need some time off" – he muttered and turned, running away towards the exit.

"Don't you even think of running away, popsicle!" – Bunny shouted after him.

Tooth elbowed the overgrown rabbit.

"I guess we'll have to give him time alone" – North said – "It was too much for him afterall"

They went back to North's office to make a plan in case the attack threatened Christmas.

Sandy stayed behind, looking as Jack flew out of the shop. Poor Jack, heart breaks are painful, specially if it is your first love. He thought on following the boy, but what could he tell him? He didn't know what was going on himself and he had made a promise.

Tears ran down Jack's cheeks leaving silvery, frost trails. He flew around for la while, trying to put his thoughts and feelings in order. But as much as he went around the matter and all of what his friends had said, detail by detail, he couldn't make the facts match together.

The girl he had met and the one they described were complete opposites.

"How was I so easily deceived? I'm so stupid!" – he told himself – "No, it can't be. Something must be wrong. This is all messed up."

His heart had fluttered at the thought of finding Yoru again, someday. He sometimes fantasized on what he would ask her or what they would talk about if they met; and then all of his friends had said that she was with Pitch.

How was that possible? Had all been a trick? Being with him down the gap, her soft touch… her lips brushing his…

He blushed crimson as he shook the thought away, concentrating on what to do.

"Maybe Pitch forced her to help him."

That possibility lightened his mood, easing his troubled heart a little.

"I have to find out by myself" – he decided – "Whatever it is, I will find out"

The last place she had been seen was his hometown, so Bunny had said. So, he summoned the winds and rushed to Burgess.

After her close encounter with commando-bunny, the shadow girl seriously thought abot moving to the South Pole and staying away from the dangerous Guardians.

But the woods were nice and quiet. Her most treasured memories were there. The place made her feel close to the boy she liked and whom she thought would never see again.

If the Guardians returned, she would just be careful to hide better.

Unaware was she, that Jack was on his way to Burgess just to look for her.

When the boy got to the small rural town, he swiftly leapt from roof to roof, slid along high tension cables and dashed about many streets blowing up newspapers and people's hats off.

He couldn't find her.

"No… she is too shy… she would stay away from people" – he thought aloud. So he headed for the forest.

He descended and walked among the high pine trees, some memories of his past crossing his mind. He wandered slowly, looking around, paying special attention to shadows. The place was swarming with memories. That was his hometown's forest. There he had awakened as Jack Frost, there they had defeated Pitch Black, there he had met Yoru.

He took a deep breath and called at the top of his lungs.

"Yoru! Are you here? I need to talk to you! Can you hear me? Yoru! Yoruuuu!"

Hearing him calling her made her heart skip a beat.

"That's Jack!" – he trembled with exitement – "and he is calling my name!"

She melt into a shadow and emerged behind a tree, a few steps away from him. She hesitated. She was too nervous to speak.

She gazed at his back, taking in his features; his silvery white hair, his fragile-looking body, his pale skin.

"Can you hear me? Don't be afraid, I only want to speak to you! It's me, Jack! Are you there?"

His voice grew fainter as he realized she was not going to answer his call.

"I want to talk to you… please…" – the last call was a hushed and broken plea.

She stepped out from behind the tree and inched her way towards him, feeling her knees weaken from her nervousness.

"Yoru…" – he sighed and gave up, leaning against his staff for support. The shadow girl was about to put a hand on his shoulder.

"I guess you are not here anym…" – he mumbled as he suddenly turned around and pretended to advance deeper into the forest.

He bumped into her. Both were surprised, her knees gave out and he couldn't stop on time.

They fell to the snow covered ground.

When Jack opened his eyes, he found himself laying on top of Yoru. It felt nicely warm. He picked up himself just a little and then stood motionless when he saw her face, a few inches from his.

Her cheeks were prettely flushed pink and she looked at him wide eyed, defenseless, her black hair making a frame around her pale skin and making a striking contrast over the pure white snow. Her chest moved rhytmically up and down with her breathing and her rosy lips were slightly parted and quite tempting.

He gazed at her for a few seconds before he realized they were in a very risqué position. He blushed furiosly, getting up in one swift movement. Then he helped her get up as well, taking her by the hand and arm.

"Yoru, I-I wanted to talk with you…" – he said nervously.

They were very close to each other but neither would step away from the other. Jack became aware that he was still holding her hand and reluctantly let her go.

"This is very hard to say… I… you see… the Guardians… "

The shadow girl's heart sunk to her stomach. What if he asked about Pitch?

He ruffled his silvery hair nervously, his mind blank. He had elaborated in his mind all his questions, all what he wanted to say; and now nothing was coming out. His nervousness increased.

"Everyone is saying that you are on Pitch's side" – he blurted out bluntly – "but I can't believe it" – he hurried to add.

He watched her in fearful expectation as she braced herself and kept silent. Jack pressed on:

"Tooth says that you were with the nightmares that attacked her house."

He paused, watching as Yoru's expression went from pain to dismay. He felt his insides churn, realizing the answer, but he still couldn't accept it.

"Please… tell me that's not true" – he pleaded, still hopeful.

She backed away, tears filling her black eyes and running down in glittery streams down her cheeks.

"It is true" – she replied in a choked whisper. She winced, shutting her eyes tightly – "It's true"

The swallowed the lump in her throat, the tide she had been containing within her bursted, and she poured her heart out, unable to bear keeping her evil deeds hidden from him.

"I created the nightmares for Pitch, using his control over fear and my black sand. I am the source of the black dust that swallowed the Sandman. Pitch used me to attack Tooth's house and I was the one to capture the faeries. I did it because Pitch wanted the nightmares to destroy them all! All I could do was make sure none got hurt; but it was wrong! Very wrong! I refused to help him ruin Easter and he went and smashed all the eggs in the tunnels! Then he gave me a golden casket and …"

She looked at him, shame and sorrow in her pretty features, her eyes melting in rivers of diamond-like tears.

"he made me lead you to him…" – her voice broke – "I betrayed you… I led you to his trap… he said he would only talk to you… but all turned out so bad…"

Jacks heart was breaking. So it was true. She was with Pitch Black. The idea was repulsive.

"How could you do it?" – his voice was breaking too.

"I… I have no excuse…" – she lowered her head – "I have been so afraid of everything…"

Many thoughts now filled the boy's mind. Maybe she was trying to manipulate him, just like Pitch had done. Still, he couldn't hate her. But he didn't know what to believe.

"I only want to know one thing" – he said – "Why?"

Yoru felt at loss. All had been going from bad to worse since she had been found by Pitch. She just couldn't explain the influence he had on her. On her fears. He had poisoned her, alright, making her believe she couldn't survive without him.

"I was a coward… " – she replied – "I-I'm sorry… I…"

She felt silent again and he turned away from her.

"I was so stupid" – he said.

"Jack…" – she called.

"I can't believe in you, can I?" – he asked, looking at her sternly; still feeling betrayed and hurt.

She understood how he felt, and he was right. She looked away, not even trying to explain herself further. It would've been easy to blame it all on Pitch. But she felt at fault herself. She had believed all what Pitch Black had said to her.

Feelings crushing, he leapt into the air and flew away, leaving her behind, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably as she cried. Sorrow tearing her heart to pieces to see him leave.

Back at the North Pole, Bunny was looking at the brightly lit globe, still thinking how an alien could be helping Pitch… how could aliens exist in the first place! And how was he supposed to beat a high-tech alien – as aliens are supposed to be – with a boomerang.

A silver light twinkled, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Uh? A silver light?" – he squinted, not believing his eyes at first. But there it was, unmistakable bright, shifting from silver to blue and back just like stars do in the night sky.

"Hey, matey!" – he yelled hopping away to go get the other Guardians – "The alien is there! She's back!"

North and Tooth came in a hurry.

"The light!" – The rabbit said in alarm – "It's there again, in Burgess!"

"I'm going to punch all her teeth out for kidnapping my girls!" – Tooth exclaimed angrily.

"That sounds like a plan to me!" – said the Easter Bunny gaining confidence again – "Shall we go, then?"

Tooth nodded eagerly.

"You comin' North?" - The bunny asked.

The giant hesitated – "I want to go, but it will be Christmas in… Oh, what the heck!"

Santa looked back and yelled out to one of the yetis, who was laboriously painting the face of a doll.

"Shop is all yours, Phil!"

The yeti was startled and fumbled to catch the doll that he almost dropped.

"Aaawwwrrghh…" – he uttered, drooping his broad shoulders.

"All set!" – North boomed – "Let's go! Sandman!"  
They all glanced around, but Sandy was nowhere in sight.

North grunted. "Can't wait, we'll have to party without him this time!"

Bunny tapped the floor with his paw and they all swooped down a magical hole.

A few moments after they had left, a sleepy Sandman stepped out from a storage closet; yawning and stretching.

He looked about and didn't see his friends, so he turned to the nearest yeti and made the Guardians appear in small golden figurines along with some question marks.

The yeti let out a string of assorted grunts.

Sandy gestured a gasp and hurried after the group.

Yoru managed to stop crying. It was no use, she couldn't ease the pain in her heart and she wouldn't go after Jack.

She had hoped the moment would never come. The moment the boy she liked would learn that she was a monster and would hate her. But it had happened.

She was angry at herself for being a coward and not standing up against Pitch. She knew he had manipulated her; and very easily at that. She had been so afraid of everything and he had said nobody would like her, that everybody would try to kill her, that only he would accept her and protect her from the world. That the only way to survive was to make people fear you.

How she hated herself!

Black waves of dust emerged from the grownd and danced around the trees as she unleashed her power, as she had done before.

She made a huge crow form out of the swirling dark sand and was about to command it to take her away to the South Pole when a couple of boomerangs made it burst into nothingness.

"There she is! I told you the attack would start here!"

It was the Easter Bunny.

He caught his weapons and they all prepared to fight.

Yoru tried to escape, but a bright beam of light made all shadows dissappear.

"Ha!" – North exclaimed – "Can't go anywhere now!"

"That's clever!" – Tooth complimented.

North had a super flashlight in his hand and its light prevented Yoru from melting away into any shadow.

She had no choice but to face Jack's friends.

Tooth flew to her, darting against her, but the shadow girl managed to avoid her. Yoru desperately summoned black beasts from her black sand and commanded them to stand between her and Tooth. But Bunny kept throwing his boomerangs, making them go back to nothing and North kept preventing her escape.

She didn't see any way out of her predicament.

Meanwhile, Jack was flying across the sky, letting himself be carried by the wind not caring where it would take him as long as it was away. His vision was blurred by tears.

Suddenly, everything around him turned into golden light. He stopped and looked around, wiping the tears away with his sleeve.

Sandy was standing on a golden cloud, looking alarmed and gesturing frantically at him.

"Wait! Wait! Slower, Sandy! What's going on?" – Jack asked, trying to hide that he had been crying.

His friend made some figures pop out of his sand. They represented North, Bunny and Tooth. Then he made another in the shape of Yoru.

"That is Yoru! How do you know her?" – the boy asked. Sandy smiled sheepishly and shrugged.

Then, the Guardian figurines jumped over Yoru and her figurine vanished.

"Oh, no!" – Jack said alarmed – "We have to go back!"

While the other two Guardians hurried back as fast as they could, the rest had already exhausted Yoru.

Pushing her strenght to the limits for dear life, she produced out as many black flying creatures as she could, all at the same time. The creatures took on the shape of bats and crows and darted over her attackers, overwheliming them.

While they were busy destroying the shadows, Yoru managed to mount on a nightmare beast and gallop away up into the sky.

Tooth, Bunny and North followed.

She felt she could take no more. She thought about all the bad things she had done under Pitch's influence and how Jack had turned away from her. She hugged the beast's neck, having nothing else to hold on to.

She could feel the Guardians closing in.

A boomerang cut the beast's legs off and a charging Tooth Fairy made the nightmare's body burst as she plunged through it.

Yoru abandoned her will to fight. She was tired and hoplessness was darker than her own sand.

She plummeted, head down, from the sky. She didn't stop her fall. She hit hard ice and was knocked unconcios. The splash lift up water several feet high.

The Guardians cheered to their victory.

The ice lake would be the end of the last nightmare-alien-whatever-she-was thing.

Just then, Jack and Sandy arrived.

"Jack! What are you doing here?" – North asked – "I thought you had deserted us!"

"Where is Yoru?" – he panted without answering.

"Who?" – the giant asked, puzzled.

"The girl!" – the boy answered.

"What's the hurry?" – Bunny hopped closer – "That thing with black eyes? We took care of it already. You are welcome!"

Jack's heart sunk to his stomach.

"What did you do to her?" – he demanded in a roar.

Sandy's golden rivulets called Jack's attention. He was frantically pointing to a hole in the ice.

"Oh, no! Not the lake, no!" – he said in dismay.

Whithout a second thought, he dived in.

The rest of the group stood motionless and confused. Wondering what had gotten into their friend.

Jack could not see Yoru in the darkness of the lake's bottom. His lungs were burning but he refused to give up.

Then, he saw a powerful beam of light coming from the surface, over the ice. The light moved all around. Jack didn't know what it was, but he could now see around him.

As the light moved, he finally caught glimpse of a dark figure floating to his right. He swam as fast as he could towards it.

Putting an arm around the shadow girl's narrow waist and concentrated all his will on his freezing powers.

The water bubbled and a huge spike of ice formed and broke the hard sheet that covered the lake as it shot up. As the water froze, shooting up in spikes, both of them were lifted and carried back to the surface.

Jack coughed and gasped for air, holding the girl tightly in his arms.

The spikes stopped and he jumped down, laying her limp body over the ice.

"Please, don't die… please don't die…" – he repeated like a mantra as he put an ear to her chest. To his horror, she wasn't breathing.

He looked up at his friends. They were all staring at him. Ony Sandy reacted, he made a few getures and Jack understood. He put his mouth to hers and pushed all the air in his lungs into hers. One, two, three times he forced the life within him into her, secretly begging for her to wake up. Four… she didn't react.

The boy felt tears stinging his eyes as he lowered himself again over her mouth. But she convulsed and coughed.

Relief and hapiness washed over him as he took her in his arms, sitting her up. She coughed up some water and then looked warily at him.

He smiled tenderly. She blushed and became sad, turning away form him.

"Why did you save me?" –she asked still coughing – "Why did you … "

But Jack put his hand to her face, making her look back at him, his greenish icy eyes gazing at her completely black orbs.

"Don't look at me that way…" – she pleaded.

But he didn't reply. He just couldn't elaborate a response. His brain and senses too busy processing all the feelings that were bubbling inside of him; until they produced one reaction:

He pressed his lips to hers.

All the Guardians stood dumfounded. Sandy looked at them and a dozen hearts popped up around him. Then, North boomed a loud belly laugh, Bunny turned away embarrased and Tooth plopped down in disbelief.

Yoru squirmed in Jack's embrace; her black eyes wide in surprise turned into ice-blue, slitted orbs. But he didn't relent his grip on her, only hugged tighter. She stilled and closed her eyes, returning his kiss; her mind still reeling.

When they slowly parted their lips, they were suddenly aware of the intense stares of the rest of the Guardians.

Both youths blushed beet red.

"You two have a lot of explaining to do, matey" – Bunny said.

They all went back to North's shop. He had to continue his preparations for Christmas but didn't want to miss a thing.

They gathered in North's office.

"Weren't you with Pitch? Why were you helping him?" – those where the first and unavoidable questions that everybody wanted answered as they sat at a long table.

The girl became nervous, but Jack reached under the table and took her hand.

"I thought my life depended on it" – she replied ashamed, but steadying after feeling the boy's hand in hers – "He used my fears to keep me on his side and to create the nightmares…"

"Are you an alien?" – The Easter Bunny blurted out as soon as she had barely finished saying the last word.

She stared at him with her now ice-blue eyes.

"I can't believe he actually asked that!" – Jack snickered.

She looked down, as if troubled and her body started shaking.

The Guardians looked at her, not knowing what to expect.

"You hurt her feelings!" – North scolded the rabbit.

The rabbit shrugged.

But the girl continued shaking until she lifted up her head and bursted laughing. She laughed so hard tears ran down her cheeks.

Jack looked at her, enjoying her laughter, feeling his own heart swell. The Guardians laughed as well.

As she calmed down, wiping her tears, she tried to elaborate a response.

"I guess you could call me that"

That struck them. They stared at her, gaping. Even Jack's jaw dropped a little. He tightened her hand and she turned to look at him.

"Are you kidding us?" – he asked.

Her smile faded when she saw his concerned expression. She tried to back away and pulled her hand back, but he wouldn't let go.

She looked around, looking at everybody's shocked face.

"N-n-no… I'm not joking. I don't belong to your world." – she stated nervously.

Sandy was the only one who reacted, making the others jump out of their motionless states. He made golden stars float above their heads and then made them dash down towards the center of the table, like rain.

She smiled shyly at him – "Oh, so you thought I was a star? A shooting star?"

Sandy nodded, more stars popping in the air along with some question marks.

"Not quite, but it is a beautiful way to put it." – she replied sweetly.

Jack remembered he had compared her to a shooting star too.

"Then, what are you? If I may ask?" – Tooth said with a nervous smile. She still was wary of the shadow-girl. After all, she had attacked her house.

"I'm a Dhametarian" – Yoru said – "I fell like a shooting star into your world"

"Darme… what?" – Bunny asked.

"Dhametarian" – Jack repeated, proud like a little boy that knows the answers in class.

"What kind of alien is a Dermatorian?" – Bunny insisted, still unable to catch the word.

"What planet do you come from?" – Tooth asked.

"Do women really come from Venus?" – North added.

Everybody turned to look at him.

"Well, I've always wanted to know if there was something more to that phrase." – he explained.

"I don't know where I come from" – she answered, becoming a bit sad – "When I try to remember, all I see are vast and beautiful wind swept valleys, green as emeralds; a sky so clear and blue that I want to fall upwards into it and far away mountains that seem to call me with a silent voice, so strongly and deeply that it makes my heart ache and long for home."

They were mesmerized for a moment, imagining the beauty of the place Yoru was describing with all her feelings.

"How did you get here? You got lost?" – Jack asked softly.

"All I remember is falling. Like a shooting star. All is a blur." – she explained, turning to him – "I woke up in this forest. It was dark and cold; and I got very scared. Out of the darkness, a man appeared…"

"Pitch Black" – Jack said in a low tone.

She nodded.

"He was so nice to me… " – she remembered – "he also seemed lonely. He picked me up and took me to his hideout. He told me that this world was full of narrow-minded people and that they would hunt me and try to destroy me because I was different and nobody would accept me. That I was a monster to them. So, being a monster, giving fear was the only way to survive; and he would make me strong using fear. All I had to do was help him get rid of the people who were hunting him."

Jack knew Pitch had a cunning way with words. He had fallen into his game, too, much to his chagrin. He understood now how Pitch had manipulated her fears.

Everybody listened attentively. Yoru continued:

"He mixed his power to give fear with my power over the life of the planet and we created the nightmares… but, althought everything turned bad from there, I still feel bad for him."

"You shouldn't" – Jack growled. But he admired what a kind heart she must have to feel that way for somebody who had only used her.

"He really seemed afraid, lonely and hurt. Sometimes when he spoke to himself he gave me the feeling that he was about to break. But then he would let his anger take over and his evil side emerged." – Yoru explained.

The Guardias were in thoughtful silence. She was giving them a peek inside Pitch's private life and feelings. They had always seen the Boogeyman as an enemy. He was bad and that was it. It never occurred to them that he could be somebody who just needed help, that he was afraid himself and all he could do was spread his own fear, locked into his own vicious circle.

"I still think he was just a great liar and plain evil" – Jack insisted.

"I guess we'll never know" – Yoru said thoughtfully.

Sandy called their attention again, making a sparkly planet earth appear, surrounded by golden rivulets.

"Oh, you want to know more about my power?" – Yoru asked.

The Sandman nodded eagerly.

"Well, I must admit that in appearance is very similar to your golden sand" – she explained to him – "but it is very different"

"How come she understands Sandy so well?" – North muttered to Bunny, who shrugged again.

"Mimic is the universal languaje" – Tooth whispered to them.

"Ooooh!" – North and Bunny said in unison.

"This planet is alive. Gaia, Life Stream, Elemental Pillar, call it what you want. I can access that source of power and bring creatures forth from it."

"That sounds very disturbing." – Bunny commented.

"Sandy uses people's dreams, illusions, wishes and hopes to fuel his power and generate the golden dust. I do not need people to create black dust. I channel it."

"I still don't get it" – Bunny said.

"Don't try too hard, you could turn your brain into a hard egg." – Jack teased him,

"Shut yer trap, popsicle!" – The bunny huffed.

Yoru grew bolder – "Let me show you"

She motioned with her free hand and a huge black bestial dog formed with black sand right there on top of the table. It had a menacing appearance; with bony body and protruding spikes along it's spine. The black fangs were bared and it panted, as if ready to attack.

In a split second, everybody had jumped out of their seat and had backed away, alarmed. Even Jack had released her hand and was now perching on top of his staff as his friends cowered in a far corner.

But the beast just stood there.

"Don't be afraid, please!" – she called out to them – "I won't order him do anything bad!"

But it wasn't until she made the hellish hound dissolve that the group slowly returned to their places at the table.

"That was scary" – Jack said as he returned to sit next to her.

"I'm sorry" – she said contritely.

Jack put a hand on her shoulder – "Remember me never to make you angry." – he joked. She smiled wanly.

"Why do they have to be so ugly all the time?" – Tooth shivered, her feathers still puffed.

Yoru was thoughtful. – "Good question… I don't know…"

"I still think you are a nightmare!" – Tooth bursted out – "Maybe Pitch sent you here and you are manipulating us...!"

"She is not!" – Jack exclaimed standing up.

"Jack…!" – Tooth looked at him, a hurt expression on her face. Then she asked – "how would you know for sure?"

"I…" – he hesitated. He didn't know. What if Tooth was right and this was all just a sick plan straight out of Pitch's twisted mind? He liked Yoru very much and he just had decided to believe in her again. What if he was wrong?

Yoru still felt very guilty for the assault on Tooth's house and knew she had all the right to be angry and wary. But seeing Jack hesitate when coming to her defense remembered her of the time she had betrayed him. It was only natural that he couldn't trust her. Pain crept into her again and her eyes turned completely black.

"You see!" – Tooth pointed at Yoru frantically as she flew up – "Now that we know, she will attack us!"

Bunny jumped to his feet and prepared his boomerangs.

"Hold it! Hold it!" – North stood up at well – "Not here! Don't break anything!" – he paniqued.

"Pitch was right!" – Yoru yelled back, rising from her seat and stepping away from all of them – "This world is mad! Everybody will hate me because I'm different! Fear is the only way to survive!"

Jack jumped and stood between Yoru and the Guardians, his arms open, acting as a human shield.

Sandy bounced around his friends, holding his short arms up, motioning them to stop.

"Jack! She is the enemy!" – Tooth pleaded.

"I won't let you harm her!' – he said in a stern, loud voice. Then he turned to Yoru, who had reverted to her shadow appearance.

"I know they can be a bunch of fools at times" – he said to her – "and I am very sorry for what happened. But they are my friends… they are our friends. You have nothing to be afraid of, not anymore."

The soothing sound of his voice and the way he looked at her calmed her down.

"I will never belong here" – he said in a hushed cry.

"Yes you will" – he reassured her and stepped closer to her.

"Be careful, matey!" – Bunny warned.

"Shut yer trap, matey!" – Jack retorted, using Bunny's own words.

He turned to the girl again and took her face in his hands.

"Hey, hey, look at me… look at me" – he soothed.

But she couldn't see anything but his handsome face, anyway. Her hair fell down her back and all her darkness receeded, her eyes becoming ice-blue slitted orbs once again.

She threw herself into his arms.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" – she repeated.

The Guardians relaxed.

"Yoru, tell Tooth what you told me before, about the attack to her house" – the boy asked her.

"What?" – she seemed confused.

"Why did you lead that attack?" – Jack asked again.

The girl hesitated, but stepped away from Jack and stood before the other Guardians as she explained.

"I did it because I had to make sure none of those beautiful little creatures were hurt. I captured them as gently as I could. Pitch just ordered to destroy them all, to spread more fear and pain. But after I only captured them, he believed that they would be of more use as hostages. I am sorry, Tooth. I am very, very sorry."

Tooth's jaw dropped and she stared at Yoru in disbelief.

"You did a good thing out of a bad one…" – she said thoughtfully – "You actually saved my Baby Tooths!"

She cautiosly approached Yoru.

"I am very sorry. You can't imagine how bad I feel for all the wrong I caused you." – the girl apologized again.

But Tooth swooped and hugged her.

"I'm sorry I said those mean things about you" – The fairy apologized too – "Thank you for not letting my girls be destroyed!"

Yoru was taken by surprise, but hugged Tooth back.

"Now I can give you my permission to be our Jack's girlfriend" – she said, flying back to the other Guardian's side.

"Say what!?" – Jack choked and turned red as a tomato.

North let out a loud belly laugh and Sandy made a bunch of little hearts float around.

"That was a quick change of heart, matey!" – Bunny told Tooth.

Yoru's face was also red – "It's not like that!" – she blurted out.

"Even a blind man would see you two like each other… quite a lot!" – North boomed.

Both youths went thru all possible shades of red as the rest of the Guardians laughed and gave them knowing smiles.

"So that was all the spacing out thing about!" – North exclaimed – "And I was worried! Hahahahaha!

"You lucky popsicle!" – Bunny said – "I must tell ya' matey, she's very pretty when she's not scary!"

North laughed even louder when he heard Bunny's comment.

"Hey! Hey! She's not my girlfriend!" – Jack tried to defend himself against his friends teasing, but he failed miserably. He moved his head and smiled, giving up.

Yoru felt her cheeks burning. She wanted to melt into a shadow as soon as possible. She was about to do it when Jack spoke again.

"She's not my girl… yet" – he rephrased with a playful smile; glancing at her mischievously.

Everybody turned to look at them.

Jack approached Yoru and took both her hands in his. He cleared his throat nervously.

"Yoru… would you… " – he bit his lower lip – "…like to be my girlfriend?"

She hesitated, looking at him with a troubled expression on her face.

Everybody stood so silent they could've heard a pin if it fell to the floor.

Jack's heart skipped a beat as she prolonged the silence.

Then, a smile formed in her lips and she whispered – "I would love to!"

All the Guardians cheered.

Jack put his hands around Yoru's waist and pulled her closer. She put her arms around Jack's neck and tilted her head as he searched her lips.

Sandy popped golden fireworks as they kissed.

Nightmares turned into sweet dreams; darkness turned into light and fear turned into love that moment… and that was just the beginning.

END!


End file.
